Lifeboat system



INVENTORS 4 Sheets-Sheet 1 LIFEBOAT SYSTEM STAFFORD W. TREXLER S. W.TREXLER ETAL Nov. 15, 1966 Filed Nov. 30, 1964 EARL A. BELT BY Mali/ 5ATTORNEY Nov. 15, 1966 s. w. TREXLER ETAL 3,284,822

LIFEBOAT SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed NOV. 30, 1964 STAFFORD W. TREXLEREARL A. BELT ATTORNEY LIFEBOAT SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 EA )7 L A BEL TSTAFFORD w TREXLER INVENTORS E BY Nov. 15, 1966 s. w. TREXLER ETAL FiledNov. 30, 1964 ,zm %j ATTORNEY 1966 s. w. TREXLER ETAL 3,284,822

LIFEBOAT SYSTEM 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Nov. 30, 1964 INVENTORS STAFFORDH. TREXLER EARL A. BELT BY ATTORNEY United States Patent Ofiice3,284,822 Patented Nov. 15, 1966 3,284,822 LIFEBOAT SYSTEM Stafford W.Trexler and Earl A. Belt, Baltimore, Md., assignors of twenty-fivepercent to James E. Stansbury, Annapolis, Md.

Filed Nov. 30, 1964, Ser. No. 414,576 8 Claims. (Cl. 9-39) Thisinvention relates generally to improvements in life boats, and moreparticularly it pertains to a supporting and handling system forlifeboats.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a boat of thischaracter which is safe and comfortable and incorporates a completelycovered hull structure whereby the occupants of the boat are protectedfrom the elements and swamping of the boat by high waves is prevented,

Another object of this invention is to provide improved supportingsystem which cradles the boat securely against movement in the stowedposition and holds it securely while being loaded.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a lifeboat loweringmechanism which is entirely controlled by the occupants of an enclosedcapsule-type lifeboat thereon supported.

Other objects and attendant advantages of this invention become morereadily apparent and understood from the following detailedspecification and accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a side elevation of a lifeboat system incorporating featuresof this invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view thereof, partly broken away;

FIG. 3 is an end elevation of the life boat system of FIG. 1, partlybroken away and showing the stowed position of the capsule;

FIG. 4 is a view similar to FIG. 3 but showing the capsule loweringposition of the davits; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged vertical section taken on line 55 of FIG. 3depicting details of a lowering cable release mechanism.

Referring now to the details of the drawings in FIGS. 1 to 5, referencenumeral indicates generally a vessel having a deck 12 and a deckhouse 14thereon. A pair of spaced davits 16 are provided which rise from thedeck 12. These devits 16 are each formed with an arced supportingportion 18 and an upwardly extended rear portion 20.

The concave surface 22 of the davits 16 is lined with a plurality ofbuffers 24, which may be of rubber or stuffed canvas or the like.

Pivot pins 26 attach the davits 16 to brackets 28, which, in turn, aresecured to the deck 12. A support 30 is mounted on top of the deckhouse14 opposite to each davit 16 and this support has a sheave 34 upon anextending bracket 32. A stop 36 for contacting a davit 16 in stowedposition also extends from each bracket 30 and carries a cushion 38 onits contacting face.

In the launching position, the davits 16 as best shown in FIG. 4 restupon a similar cushion 42 of a support 40 mounted on the deck 12.

A twin cable winch 44 is secured on the deck intermediate the davits 16.This winch 44 is of the free runoff type and is provided with a weightedbrake arm 46 which sets the winch brake 48.

A pair of cables 50, 52 lead from the winch 44 to a double fairlead 54,56, which respectively direct the cable 50 toward the forward davit andthe cable 52 toward the aft davit.

Enroute, a pair of sheaves 58 on the deckhouse wall change the directionof the cables 50, 52 so as to pass them over the previously mentionedbracket sheaves 34 near the tops of the supports 30 upon the deckhouse.

From there the cable 50, 52, extend to sheaves 60 on the extendedportions 20 of the davits 16 and thence are routed about sheaves 62, 64,66 and 68 spaced along one side of each davit.

From the last sheave 68, upon the tip of the arced portion 18, thecables 50, and 52 depend to each pass around a pulley 70, reversingdirection to again return to the tip of the portions 18, around sheaves72, 74, 76, 78 and 80 spaced upon the other sides of the davits. Theends of the cables 50, 52 terminate in swiveled turnbuckles 82 whichattached to fittings 84 on the supports 30.

A loading platform 86 of grilwork or expanded metal extends on supports88 built out from the overhead of the deckhouse 14 and has an accessladder or stair 90. A guard rail 92 extends around the platform andsides of the stairs for safety to personnel as they are loaded into acapsule 94.

This capsule 94 is supported fore and aft by the pulleys 70 each ofwhich initially nest in a cavity 96 thereof. As best shown in FIG. 5,the pulley housing 98 of each pulley 70 is provided with a reduced neck100 which has a ball 102 formed on its end.

This ball 102 is captivated in a hollow capsule release fitting 104which is mounted for rotation on a stub shaft 106 journaled in the sideof the cavity 96. The captivating slot 108 in the fitting 104 terminatesin a ball release aperture 110 normally at the side but which can berotated upwardly when the fitting 104 is turned by a release lever 112inside the capsule on the end of shaft 106.

The capsule 94 is a watertight floatable hull with an observation dome114 over-all. Reference numerals 116 indicate the access'doors in itssides. A stabilizing or ballast section 118 is provided in the capsulelow down in the hull. Battery and provision storage sections 120 and 122are provided as well as a radio 124 and the remaining space 126 is apassenger compartment.

Stabilizer fins 128 are mounted on the outside of the hull and the craftis arranged with a motor 130, a propeller 136 and a rudder 138 forpropulsion and guidance of the craft. A transmission 132 is provided todisconnect the motor from the propeller drive shaft 134 and connect thelatter to a manual drive shaft 142 when a lever 140 is operated.

The shaft 142 extends lengthwise inside the capsule and at spacedintervals has bevel gears 144 and hand cranks 146 enabling thepassengers to propel by hand if desired.

The launching of the capsule is by gravity. The overhang of the capsule94 with respect to the pivot 26 of the davit causes a tension at alltimes on the cables 50, 52.. This is held by the weighted winch brakearm 46 until a release cable 148 attached thereto is tensioned. Thecable 148 leads around a fairlead 150 on the davit 16 and thence throughan aperture (not shown) into the interior of the capsule. An occupant ofthe capsule can thus cause the winch brake 48 to release at willallowing the cables 50, 52 to pay out freely from the winch 44. Thedavits 19 first swing out from the position shown in FIG. 3 to thatshown in FIG. 4. Then the davits rest and as more cable is paid out thecapsule 94 lowers to the water level.

When the levers 112 of the release mechanism 104, 106 are rotated theball 102 of each pulley neck 100 is released and the capsule 94 isfreed.

To prevent the capsule 94 from swinging away from the buffers 24 in thecase of heavy seas and severe rolling of the parent vessel 10, a pair oflines or gripes 204 are provided from attachment points 206 on eachextremity of the supporting portion 18 of the davits. These gripes 204,as best shown in FIG. 3, pass halfway around the outer side of thecapsule 94, over a post 208 fixed part Way up on the davit 16 and thenceterminate in a tie down device 210 such as a cleat stile lower down.

Still another safety feature lies in the provision of a stowage hook 200which extends outwardly from the support 18 just below the sheave 68 andcaptures a loop 202 of the pulley housing 98 as long as the davits 16'are vertical as shown in FIGS. 3 and 5. When the davits 16 are loweredas previously described, the hook 200 automatically disengages from theloop 202 to free the capsule 94 for lowering to the water.

Obviously many modifications and variations of the present invention arepossible in light of the above teachings. It is, therefore, to beunderstood that within the scope of the appended claims the inventionmay be practiced otherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:

1. In a vessel having a deck and a deckhouse, a pair of spaced davitmembers pivotally mounted at their lower ends to said deck, each saiddavit members having a portion upwardly extending from the rear portionthereof and an arc portion outwardly facing from the front thereof, stopmeans for defining the stowed and launching positions of said davitmembers, a lifeboat, means for stowing said lifeboat against the arcportion of each said davit members and lowering it therefrom, includinga pair of cables releasably engaged with said lifeboat, a plurality ofsheave elements positioned along each side of said are portion and saidupwardly extending rear portion, with the sheave elements along one sideof each said arc portion being for guiding its corresponding cable tosaid lifeboat and the sheave elements along the opposite side of eachsaid are portion being for guiding its respective cable away from saidlifeboat, a pair of additional sheave elements positioned along saiddeckhouse for guiding one end of each said cables therealong, a winchmechanism mounted on said deck for receiving said one end of each saidcables to obtain manipulation thereof, and means securing the oppositeend of each said cables to said deckhouse.

2. In a vessel having a deck and a deckhouse, a pair of spaced davitmembers pivotally mounted at their lower ends to said deck, each saiddavit members having an upwardly extending rear portion and outwardlyfacing arc portion, stop means for defining the stowed and launchingpositions of said davit members, a lifeboat having a propulsion element,a motor mechanism for driving said propulsion element, manually operatedmeans for driving said propulsion element, and clutch means fordisconnecting said motor mechanism from said propulsion element uponoperation of said manually operated means, means for stowing saidlifeboat against the arc portion of each said davit members and loweringit therefrom, including cables releasably engaged with said lifeboat,sheave elements for guiding said cables along each said are portion,each said upwardly extending rear portion, and deckhouse, and a winchmechanism mounted on said deck for receiving said cables to obtainmanipulation thereof.

3. In the vessel as recited in claim 2 wherein Said lifeboat is awater-tight enclosed capsule,

4. In the vessel as recited in claim 3 wherein said capsule has anobservation dome.

5. In a vessel having a lifeboat and davit structure including a pair ofcables for suspending said lifeboat, means for releasably engaging saidcables with said lifeboat, comprising a pulley retained by each of saidcables, each said pulley having a yoke with an enlarged element, ahousing corresponding to each said pulley rotatably mounted to saidlifeboat and having a slot for captivating said enlarged element withinsaid housing, with said slot terminating in an aperture for releasingsaid enlarged element from said slot upon rotation of said housing tothereby release said lifeboat from each said cables.

6. In the vessel as recited in claim 5 and additionally, a shaft elementfor rotating said housing by an occupant of said lifeboat.

7. A lifeboat comprising structure defining a watertight, floatable,enclosed capsule, an element for propelling said capsule, a motormechanism for driving said element, manually operated means for drivingsaid element, and transmission means, for alternating connection of saidmotor mechanism and said manually operated means with said propellingelement.

8. In a vessel having a deck and a deckhouse, a pair of spaced davitmembers pivotally mounted 'at their lower ends to said deck, each saiddavit members having an upwardly extending rear portion and outwardlyfacing arc portion, stop means for defining the stowed and launchingpositions of said davit members, a lifeboat, means for stowing saidlifeboat against the arc portion of each said davit members and loweringit therefrom, including cables releasably engaged with said lifeboat,sheave elements for guiding said cables along each said are portion,each said upwardly extending rear portion, and deckhouse, and a 'winchmechanism mounted on said deck for receiving said cables to obtainmanipulation thereof, the releasable engagement of said cables with saidlifeboat being provided by each of said cables passing over a pulley,each said pulley having a yoke with a ball element positioned at one endthereof, a corresponding housing rotatably mounted to said lifeboat andhaving a slot for captivating said ball element and an aperture forreleasing said ball element from said slot upon rotation of said housingto thereby release said lifeboat from said cables.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 960,479 6/1910Allen 94 1,344,754 6/1920 Clark 939 2,038,233 4/ 1936 Oppenheim 9392,328,437 8/1943 Elling 93 3,157,891 11/1964 Devonport 935 FERGUS S;MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner.

ALFRED E. CORRIGAN, Assistant Examiner.

1. IN A VESSEL HAVING A DECK AND A DECKHOUSE, A PAIR OF SPACED DAVITMEMBERS PIVOTALLY MOUNTED AT THEIR LOWER ENDS TO SAID DECK, EACH SAIDDAVIT MEMBERS HAVING A PORTION UPWARDLY EXTENDING FROM THE REAR PORTIONTHEREOF AN ARC PORTION OUTWARDLY FACING FROM THE FRONT THEREOF, STOPMEANS FOR DEFINING THE STOWED AND LAUNCHING POSITIONS OF SAID DAVITMEMBERS, A LIFEBOAT, MEANS FOR STOWING SAID LIFEBOAT AGAINST THE ARCPORTION OF EACH SAID DAVIT MEMBER AND LOWERING IT THEREFROM, INCLUDING APAIR OF CABLES RELEASABLY ENGAGED WITH SAID LIFEBOAT, A PLURALITY OFSHEAVE ELEMENTS POSITIONED ALONG EACH SIDE OF SAID ARC PORTION AND SAIDUPWARDLY EXTENDING REAR PORTION, WITH THE SHEAVE ELEMENTS ALONG ONE SIDEOF EACH SAID ARC PORTION BEING FOR GUIDING ITS CORRESPONDING CABLE TOSAID LIFEBOAT AND THE SHEAVE ELEMENTS ALONG THE OPPOSITE SIDE OF EACHSAID ARC PORTION BEING FOR GUIDING ITS RESPECTIVE CABLE AWAY FROM SAIDLIFEBOAT, A PAIR OF ADDITIONAL SHEAVE ELEMENTS POSITIONED ALONG SAIDDECKHOUSE FOR GUIDING ONE END OF EACH SAID CABLES THEREALONG, A WINCHMECHANISM MOUNTED ON SAID DECK FOR RECEIVING SAID ONE END OF EACH SAIDCABLES TO OBTAIN MANIPULATION THEREOF, AND MEANS SECURING THE OPPOSITEEND OF EACH SAID CABLES TO SAID DECKHOUSE.